JOHN R. BUTTONKIWANIS CLUB OF RIDGETOWN, ONTARIOKIWANIS INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

John R. Button of Ridgetown, Ontario, became president of Kiwanis International in July 2014 at the 99th Annual Kiwanis International Convention in Tokyo-Chiba, Japan.

John is a former Key Clubber and a second-generation Kiwanian. He joined the Kiwanis Club of Ridgetown in 1978 and has served it in a number of capacities, including twice as president. He chaired the Iodine Deficiency Disorders Worldwide Service Project committee for his club and division. He is a past lieutenant governor of his division and past governor of the Eastern Canada and Caribbean District.

John is a Diamond-level 4 Mel Osborne Fellow, a Diamond-level George F. Hixson Fellow, Diamond Level charter Walter Zeller Fellow, recipient of the Tablet of Honor and the Kiwanis Foundation of Jamaica’s Godfrey G. Dyer Award and member of the Founders Circle of the Kiwanis Foundation of the Capital District.

John is retired from a family medicine practice that began in Ridgetown in 1978. For 20 years he has been a coroner for the southwest region of the province of Ontario. He has served his profession, both locally and provincially, in a number of leadership and administrative positions.

In the community, he has received Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee Medal and her Diamond Jubilee Medal, was inducted into the Ridgetown District High School Hall of Excellence, awarded the Rotary International Service Award for Professional Excellence, awarded the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Tri-board award for medical excellence and named Chatham-Kent Citizen of the Year for 2010.

John is married to Debbie, has a son, a daughter and two granddaughters.